Four arrested in alleged Fortuna assault with bear pepper spray

Four men were arrested Wednesday after allegedly forcing their way into a Fortuna apartment, assaulting the people inside, and discharging a canister of bear pepper spray.

At 10 a.m., officers with the Fortuna Police Department responded to an apartment complex located in the 100 block of 12th Street in Fortuna for a report of a strong odor of pepper spray, according to a press release. Officers contacted several subjects who reported that they had been assaulted by a group of males, who had fled the complex in two vehicles. Officers located and stopped two suspected vehicles moments later and contacted the occupants, who were all arrested.

The victims reported that the subjects had forced entry into an apartment and forcibly held two subjects in a bedroom while demanding marijuana that they had allegedly stolen, the release said. The suspects then allegedly discharged a canister of bear pepper spray at numerous occupants within the residence -- including minor children. The subjects then attempted to forcibly remove one of the victims from the apartment, the release states.

Gregory Stephens, 26, of Eureka; Wyatt Williamson, 26, of Eureka; Trevor Bohn, 27, of Eureka; and James Michael Oneil, 58, of Loleta, were all booked into the Humboldt County jail on suspicion of burglary, false imprisonment, felony child abuse, kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon, the release said.

As a result of the incident, the release said a total of 10 victims experienced symptoms associated with the pepper spray. City Ambulance responded and transported three adults and two children to the hospital, where they were treated for moderate injuries.

This investigation is ongoing and the department is asking anyone with information to contact the department at 725-7550 or to remain anonymous, contact the department's WeTip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME.